America

by: Forrest

Perhaps I should begin by admitting to the fact that I fully benefit from all of the good things America has to offer its citizens (especially its white citizens). I have received a quality education, a drivers license, health benefits, food stamps, police protection, etc. etc. I will not deny that there are some awesome things about this country, and that I am glad to live it. It is a place where people can believe pretty much whatever they want to. I can go to my little Quaker church as much as I want with no fear of being arrested. I can criticize the government with no fear of losing my head. Since I am a white male from a comfortable family, I can be pretty much whatever I want to be in this country.

However, I cannot and will not claim that America is a country without fault, or that it is better than other countries, or even that it is better than most. There is no arguing the fact that America is the dominant superpower in today's world, both economically and militarily. What is arguable, is whether or not that is a positive thing. Our concept of Manifest Destiny has allowed us to justify our current status of world domination, but the truth is, we are no better than anybody else.

There are two ways of being an American. You can be patriotic, or you can be nationalistic. Patriotism is the love of one's country and the people in it. Nationalism is the concept that one's own country is the best in the world and that everyone else should either bow to it, join it, or get out of the way. I am a patriot. I am not a nationalist. Nationalism has been the cause of way too much bloodshed to be a good thing. This blog is about challenging it.